10 Safety Precautions for Do It Yourself-ers

Before you take on the next DIY do it yourself home project, take a few precautions to ensure your safety.

Taking on do it yourself projects around the house can be a lot of fun and save money too. However, if safety precautions aren’t taken, the fun can turn into tragedy and the money saved can be absorbed by a trip to the emergency room.

Stop and give a little consideration to what would make your task the safest. Check out these 10 safety precautions:

Wear goggles. Your eyes are very precious, so, you will want to protect them from flying debris and splashing chemical and paint.

Wear shoes. Make sure your feet are covered. You don’t have to invest in a pair of steal toed shoes, but, simply putting on tennis shoes or leather boots. You will want a shoe that is closed in; with a thick sole to protect your feet from falling objects and stray nails on the floor.

Plug your ears. When operating power tools or even the lawn mower, we never consider the damage that noise is doing to our hearing. Protect your ears with plugs or some kind of ear covering to muffle the sound.

Heavy duty cords. Use power cords that are designed for the type of work that you are doing. Regular household extension cords can’t handle power tools; instead, you will want to buy a heavy duty power cord. Never link power cords together.

Stop when tired. You think that if you can just get the last boards cut and installed before night fall, you won’t have to deal with it tomorrow. I assure you power tools and fatigue are a recipe for disaster. Stay on the safe side and finish the next day. Or just sell house as is for cash.

Face masks. Protect your nose and mouth from dust and inhaling dangerous chemicals, by using the right type of face mask for your task. For closed in areas with a lot of fumes you may want to get a mask with a respirator.

Have a helping hand. Make good use of clamps to hold wood or objects in place when cutting or drilling.

Have water available. If you are working on a project that requires you to turn off the water, you may want to have fresh water in a bottle for emergencies like burns or getting something in your eyes.

Know your chemicals. Know the chemicals that you are working with and how they react with other chemicals. You want to know what these chemicals will do if they come in contact with your skin, and if they are water soluble or not.

Have an emergency plan. Have handy a first-aid kit and emergency numbers, such as, poison control. Don’t forget that 911 is always in order, when faced with life threatening hazards.

You may look like a hazmat worker, but, you will be safe from most dangers that do it yourself-ers run into with each endeavor. Being safe and taking the proper precautions is as much to be proud of as the newly finished bathroom tile work or backyard sun deck.